Flocking to Penzance.

And so do we.......

and these chaps too.........

as the sun fights its way through the low cloud.........

high water and hoping for those big end of season grey mullet..........

time for fuel........

clear enough!.........

beautifully maintained example of a barge conversion from north of the border..........

grey hull under grey skies.......

no sign of air traffic.......

watch out watch out there's a ........

with a sentimental spray can about.........

art of a different nature in the PZ Gallery.......

with a sea urchin 'pied de bouef' inspired installation piece........

not so many years ago all the roads in Penzance looked like this before Mr Tarmacadam had his way.........

sculling oil painting in the Newlyn Gallery.......

read all about the artist amongst the dozens who found a picture in every corner as the title suggests.......

if you have £1750 to spare this work of a coaster passing the Longships by George Fagan Bradshaw is yours.

What about a better British batter?

These days Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) are a popular alternative to the Great British Batter!

How to make the best batter for your fish and chips? - that age old question - with as many recipes bandied about as there are for the perfect Yorkshire Pudding! The Guardian's food writer Felicity Cloake may have found the answer - read on http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/sep/29/how-cook-perfect-battered-fish.

Friday morning.

Plenty of the fish from one of the three big beam trawlers, the Cornishman on the market this morning......

while the inshore trawler Shiralee landed a nice touch of squid and the reddest of red gurnard.......

an interesting piece of research is underway from Bangor University, using isotopes to trace the movement of bass........

as usual,data needs collecting including length........

samples of scales are taken for analysis.......

and of course the fish's weight........

towering over the quay at high water, the workboat Northern Solan from Kirkwall........

after landing the guys on the Cornishman tackle the long list of jobs that need doing at the end of every trip.........

with the warm air the coast of Cornwall has been fogbound for two days - not pleasant conditions at sea.

Fishermen meet scientists - a positive meeting in Newlyn.

It's good to talk - and yesterday's meeting at the Mission in Newlyn between representatives from DEFRA and CEFAS and fishermen seems to have resulted in some positive responses from both sides. Agreeing that the way forward is through working more closely together and sharing ideas and data is a good start in the move to reduce discards.  Skipper Alan Dwan from the hake netter Ajax usesTwitter to update his followers and merchants while still at sea - letting people know that during is last trip he dumped 2 1/2 tons of dogfish (better known as rock salmon), 300Kg of porbeagle and 200Kg of cod.


Europe will only make changes to quotas when there is good scientific evidence so this meeting could be seen as a real step in the right direction. David Righton from CEFAS described yesterdays meeting as "incredibly useful" - he described the role of fishermen as the "eyes and ears' of the fishing environment as they are at the sharp end. Good to hear a representative from DEFRA use the term "industry led" in describing the work that needs doing. 

An example of the research typically carried out by the CEFAS team can be seen here:

Where can I find further information about this and related research?  For more information please contact David Righton (david.righton@cefas.co.uk) or Cefas on +44 1502 562244.

Alternatively, please contact Defra’s Marine and Fisheries Science Unit: marinescience@defra.gsi.gov.uk

When your GPS fails - is it the Navy?

A huge naval exercise off the top of Scotland caused much angst among the Scottish fleet fishing in the area last Friday. During the exercise the GPS signal - relied upon by the fleet to safely navigate around wrecks and other seabed dangers - was jammed by comms technicians.


See the full story here:

Damanaki meets small-scale fishermen.

Today, Commissioner Damanaki met representatives of small-scale fishermen in Paris, representing some of the 160 organisations that signed a declaration supporting the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in ways which ensure the recovery of fish stocks and habitats, the promotion of best practice, a just allocation of fishing access based on social and environmental criteria, and an equitable distribution of the benefits derived from these activities.


There was the immediate response from the industry, as reported by Le Telegramme: (translation courtesy of Dr Google)

Réforme de la pêche. Un dialogue de sourds

(Fisheries reform. A dialogue of swords)

Commissioner Damanaki has stopped over in Paris yesterday, to "listen, to discuss" with the actors in the fisheries sector. However, yesterday in the Assembly, it was a dialogue of the deaf. "In Brussels, we are not deaf" is what Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries came to say yesterday in Paris. After a meeting with the Minister of Ecology and Transportation, NKM, she stopped at the maritime cluster, then to the Assembly which met for the occasion the deputies and senators Wed group is one that the champion of the "blue growth" meant, she said, listen and discuss. 
Maria Damanaki is she aware of the rejection of its proposals on the reform of the CFP? "I am informed, she said, the reaction of France, including the ITQ (individual transferable quotas). "I look forward, says the Commissioner to discuss with the French government to listen to their proposals, especially what is the strengthening of Producer Organisations (POs).

Furious Damage, Maria Damanaki could not meet Bruno Le Maire yesterday: Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries was not in Paris. To reporters, the Commissioner was very clear: Brussels can not give money to the sector, it is not possible, she says, especially in the middle of a crisis. Pierre-Georges Dachicourt, president of the National Committee of Fisheries reiterated that French fishermen were also for a sustainable and responsible fisheries. But not the way Brussels wants! The maximum sustainable yield, on the release, there is total disagreement on the calendar. As for monetizing quotas, ITQs accept, it would be the death of fisheries, including artisanal. In the maritime cluster, we felt as a possible opening on the calendar. In the Assembly, it was not the case at all! Gwendal Rouillard, Socialist deputy of Morbihan was even yesterday in "a rage" at the end of meeting with Maria Damanaki. "It went wrong. This is a total failure, "he has said. "What does the Commissioner? The maintenance of ITQs. She does not want to move the calendar. " On the social? "No response," says the MP. The deep-sea fishing, an important port as Lorient? "This move along, nothing to see," says Gwendal Rouillard. 

 "Fighting Front" "The future of the French fishing industry is at stake," said the member who Damanaki warned: "We will have a battle front. We will not let ourselves do it! "

Stars in the sky.

Airborn traffic passes overhead........

big shot of plaice with the beam trawl.......

with fish stretching the length of the market.......

including 15st of herring........

the condemned man gives it the thumbs up.......

as he makes his getaway.......

all set for those fishmongers with customers who love Italian or Sicilian recipes no doubt.......

one of those mornings.....

"Following the extension of the Great Western Railway to West Cornwall in1877 the Cornish fishing towns of St Ives and Newlyn both began to attract artists, drawn by the beauty of the scenery, quality of light, simplicity of life and drama of the sea.. The artists known as the Newlyn School were led by Stanhope Forbes and Frank Bramley who settled there in the early 1880s. Newlyn painting combined the Impressionist derived doctrine of working directly from the subject, and where appropriate in the open air (plein-airism), with subject matter drawn from rural life, particularly the life of the fishermen". ...........

no sign of fishermen on the Govenek, they are all down below enjoying a cuppa.......

a layer of fish scales, sure signs on the quay of sardines coming ashore........

the Ivan Ellen, framed by some of Ben Gunn's Blue Stones..........

calm enough looking towards the gaps.........

news that the Wherry Town skaters are to get a huge grant to create a new skate park have been given a warm welcome by the community at large.